Spain must beware Italy's phantom menace

Pirlo’s threat lies in his ability to exploit space and evade markers

Pirlo stands in the distinguished list of Italian registi, or playmakers (David Klein/Sportimage)

HAD ANDREA PIRLO been fully fit, Italy might have fared far better at the 2010
World Cup. Recognised as his country’s only truly creative player, he missed
the first two group games because of injury. He came on after 56 minutes of
the third, which would prove to be Italy’s last in South Africa. And even
Pirlo, though he did begin to get the wheels turning at last, could not save
the Azzurri from a humiliating 3-2 defeat by Slovakia; and elimination.

Born in Brescia 33 years ago, he is a slight figure on the field, of somewhat
grave demeanour. He is 1.77m tall and weighs 69kg. Though he chipped in that
elegant penalty in the shootout against England, in the Campionato he rarely
scores and has never achieved even double figures in a season. Indeed, in
the last of his 10 seasons with AC Milan, when injury, a constant